New Mexico is richly diverse in its geography and most prominently in its people and their cultures. With the highest percentage of Hispanics and American Indians of any state, New Mexico's 1.7 million citizens are 50% non-Hispanic White, 38% Hispanic, 9% American Indian, 2% Black, and 1% Asian and other ethnic minorities. Despite the high technology presence, a substantial number of New Mexicans-particularly its minority populations-are young, rural, poor, and medically uninsured and underserved. Each of New Mexicans's racial and ethnic populations- are young, rural, poor, and medially uninsured and underserved. Despite the high technology presence, a substantial number of New Mexicans, particularly its minority populations-are young, rural, poor, and medically uninsured and underserved . Each of New Mexico's racial and ethnic populations have unique health and disease characteristics reflected by striking differences in the incidence and mortality of different types of cancer. In 1999, 6,500 new cancer cases were diagnosed in New Mexicans and 3,000 died of persistent of relapsed disease. While New Mexico's American Indians have a very low incidence of the types of cancer that are common in non-Hispanic Whites, both Indians and Hispanics have had very high rates of gallbladder, stomach, and cervix cancer in the past several decades. And while traditionally lower than non-Hispanic Whites, the incidence of breast and colon cancer is rising precipitously in our Hispanic populations. Our Navajos have been particularly affected by a high frequency of lung cancer , casually related to their work in the uranium mining industry. We seek support from the NIC P20 Cancer Center Planning mechanism in order to achieve our goals which are to: Further develop our excellent multi-disciplinary science programs to address the unique cancer patterns in the multi-ethnic population of New Mexico and the surrounding region and translate their discoveries into innovative and effective cancer treatment and prevention strategies. Further develop statewide and regional cancer screening, prevention, and education programs that are effective in our culturally unique and ethnically diverse populations and communities. Increase the quality of cancer care in our region by providing access to innovative therapies and clinical trials, facilitated by a formal university-community oncology alliance developing between the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, healthcare systems and medical practices statewide, and the Indian Health Service. By meeting these challenges, the University of New Mexico Cancer Center will in turn contribute new knowledge to the nation's cancer research effort. Our study of the unique cancer patterns in our population and the susceptibility and resistance of these peoples to specific cancers will provide new insights into the cancer genetic and environmental factors. Our region provides a "virtual laboratory" for the determination of effective cancer screening, prevention, and education strategies in special populations. Finally, expansion of our translational science and clinical activities will provide increased access for minority and underserved populations to NCI and industry-sponsored clinical trials, increasing the overall quality of cancer care in our region.